Thanks for all the comments they are much appreciated. I am sure I will make a reasonable recovery but any hard riding or long trips are out of the picture. But at the moment even moving this bike or putting her on to the stand is to much for me. Then a warning from the nuero guy - is even when repaired my back will be prone to further injury much easier than it has been before. I have had 36 years riding and travelling - its time to maybe get fit again and once sorted maybe look to a small lightweight once I am fixed and just have a bit pootle about and keep it easy going i suppose.
Cheers for now jake.

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'A tourist sees what he went to see,
a traveller sees what he sees'

Wow. What a heartbreaker. I was looking forward to seeing you in action. That bike is something special and you should be proud. Good luck recovering from your spine issues. Thanks for sharing the build.

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-Sticks and stones, love.
-Insurmountable problems exist in the imaginations of the less traveled.

Regarding the quad on earlier pages its now all legal unless of course you unleash the crackerjack that built it - Colin - on it . Today he was let out of the depths of his dark oily workshop strapped to the top of the quad and set off to see what it could do, pursued by another nut case ( ex british junior M/cross champion ) riding his R1 Yam. The quad makes a noise from that flat box exhaust like no other beast, the sound bounces off every building and you can see people turning to gape at what the hell is coming at them from as far as you can see. They need to be quick though cos its low and seriously fast. The quad is powered by a 1400 suzuki engine with lowered gearing - its so fast even and col never used half the revs available yet the r1 yam flat out could not keep pace on a straight,( It winter here now so the roads were cold and damp so there was little grip) Col did a few donuts and had the beast drifting around in every gear on straights and around the bendy bits . It turned heads and people even came out of the side of a big engineering works to watch him do his stuff after hearing what sounds like a jet roaring down the road.
Here's the thing parked up on return all legal and ready for sale.

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'A tourist sees what he went to see,
a traveller sees what he sees'

Yep that's westgate hill it where the quad lives and where my Dakar bike was built. The workshop sits halfway up the hill behind the shop front area. The Iranian cafe over the road is superb for a cultural taste of Persia food and hospitality. Jake. I think most of us got infected with bikes walking up that hill in our early teens - its not quite the same place these days but still lots of buike shops but most people are older now not so many young nutters wheelying up and down but it has its moments.

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'A tourist sees what he went to see,
a traveller sees what he sees'

Whenever I'm back in the North East,often,I can't resist a stroll up and down 'The Hill' but you're right it isn't the same now as it was back in the fifties and sixties.Maybe it is because we are all getting a bit long in the tooth.
I'm so old I used to spend a lot of time on Scotswood Road when it was full of bike shops and pubs on every corner.Bought my second bike at Falcon Motors a 53 T100C.I even managed to persuade my dear old Mum to lend me the money to buy it.
John

A year on and the spine has been fused and for the first time in maybe 12 years I have no pain whatsoever the neck or arms ( the operation was a massive success) area is as strong as its ever been, I really regret letting the bike go now so am on project Elefant - (cagiva elefant 750) I bought a bag of shite Elefant 750 for not a lot of money, I have it in a million bits and am doing a full rebuild - Currently got the heads almost rebuilt ( on the kitchen table ) and the missus is not saying a thing - must have tamed her at last. Mind you the Duke engine is a bit quirky to work on. Hope to have her up and running on the road ready for a trip by April. Not doing anything fancy mind just a tidy up job and a full mechanical overhaul throughout. I never learn - should buy something new and easy.

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'A tourist sees what he went to see,
a traveller sees what he sees'

A year on and the spine has been fused and for the first time in maybe 12 years I have no pain whatsoever the neck or arms ( the operation was a massive success) area is as strong as its ever been, I really regret letting the bike go now so am on project Elefant - (cagiva elefant 750) I bought a bag of shite Elefant 750 for not a lot of money, I have it in a million bits and am doing a full rebuild - Currently got the heads almost rebuilt ( on the kitchen table ) and the missus is not saying a thing - must have tamed her at last. Mind you the Duke engine is a bit quirky to work on. Hope to have her up and running on the road ready for a trip by April. Not doing anything fancy mind just a tidy up job and a full mechanical overhaul throughout. I never learn - should buy something new and easy.

Fantastic
I too will eventually have the fusion surgery, just fighting that day off with exercise and clean living.
Look forward to seeing some pics!
S.

Great to hear you are getting on top of things and are back into the bikes, it was sad that you felt you had to sell the airhead after putting so much work into it. I'm looking forward to a build thread on the Elefant if you are doing one.

Great to hear you are getting on top of things and are back into the bikes, it was sad that you felt you had to sell the airhead after putting so much work into it. I'm looking forward to a build thread on the Elefant if you are doing one.

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Yep selling the gs was a mistake but I thought it was all over for me, I also had no job and a lower income so simply needed to regain some funds - I wont be doing an elefant thread though as i have not got the time to sit and photoo and write it all out. But I may add a few shots here and there onto this thread at some time. Ta to everyone for the thumbs up on the back repair - I highly recommend it - but choose the surgeon very carefully . cos if it goes wrong then your finished. Happy to be back and getting on to - two wheels and a few trips anyway in the next few month. Jake.

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'A tourist sees what he went to see,
a traveller sees what he sees'